Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Denzel Washington was rendered “speechless” after receiving some unexpected praise.
In an interview withAccess Hollywood, Washington became visibly emotional after learning his son, John David, praised his recent recognition as the “best actor of the 21st century.”
“It’s about time,” John David had said in a previous interview with Access. “I think he is one of the greatest to ever do it so it was a very proud moment for our entire family.”
After being read the compliment, Washington smiled deeply in thought.
“Wow. I’m speechless,” he said. “I forgot what the question was but I’m speechless. I didn’t know he said that.”
“Watch out for his sister,” Washington added. “His sister is a great actor. Olivia Washington.”
As previously reported, The New York Times named Denzel the “Greatest Actor of the 21st Century (So Far),” with critics Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott writing that it was the easiest decision to make when compiling the list.
“We wrangled and argued about every other slot on the list, but there was no hesitation or debate about this one,” Scott wrote.”Denzel Washington is beyond category: a screen titan who is also a subtle and sensitive craftsman, with serious old-school stage training and blazing movie-star presence. “
The critics also noted Washington’s long and successful career in Hollywood as a “rebuke to the racist industry in which he works.”
With a slew of films under his belt, the Oscar-winning actor has yet to slow down. Up next he will star in the psychological thriller The Little Things where he will play a detective on the search for a serial killer.
The Little Things, also starring Rami Malek and Jared Leto, hits select theaters and HBO Max on Jan. 29.
iStock/Vladans(LOS ANGELES) — Most people have been getting an eyeful of streaming content since the pandemic began, and a new survey shows one of the effects of it: six in 10 now they’ve become a “total film buff” because of their lockdown viewing.
The non-scientific survey of 2,000 Americans commissioned by the Popcorn Board reveals that 60% say they watched more movies in 2020 than they ever have before. Meanwhile, 63% said the pandemic finally allowed them to catch up on the classic movies they’d never had time to watch in the “before times”.
What’s more, three in 10 say they vow to break their personal best in 2021 by watching, on average, 196 films total.
Fifty-five percent of respondents say they’ll be able to watch more awards season-nominated films than ever before this year.
In addition, the poll revealed more people than ever are having “virtual movie nights” by watching the same movie while video chatting with friends and family members. In fact, the average respondent plans to host eight such events this winter.
Apart from a solid Internet connection for the former, respondents said “must haves” for the “perfect movie night” include cozy blankets (46%) and chocolate (37%). The winner of the award for most popular movie night “must,” however, was popcorn, with 51% of respondents saying they need a bucket of the stuff to make their evening complete.
ABC/Lorenzo Bevilaqua(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE LANGUAGE, CONTENT) Embattled actor Armie Hammer has found himself in another online controversy, after he allegedly posted a provocative video of a scantily clad woman, captioning it “Miss Cayman.”
The actual pageant organization of the same name was quick to cry foul, and the actor apologized in a statement to the Cayman Compass newspaper.
“I would like to clarify that the person in my video, which was stolen from my private Instagram, is not Miss Cayman,” the actor said, adding, “I am genuinely sorry for any confusion my foolish attempt at humor may have caused.”
The organization claimed, “The Committee is very disturbed by the video and would like to confirm that the woman is not the reigning Miss Cayman Islands and has no affiliation to the Miss Cayman Islands Universe pageant.”
To the newspaper, Miss Cayman Chairperson Derri Dacres-Lee insisted, “a primary objective of Miss Cayman is to be a role model for young Caymanian women, and the way the woman was portrayed in the video contradicts those values.”
Last week, the Lone Ranger star defended himself when an Instagram user claimed that the 34-year-old actor messaged her about his sordid fantasies, which included his desire to drink her blood. Those allegations have not been confirmed, but the resulting firestorm led Hammer to drop out of the Jennifer Lopez film Shotgun Wedding.
In a statement toEntertainment Tonight, Hammer called the allegations “bulls*** claims” and added, “but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for four months to shoot a film…”
However, skeptics brought up Hammer’s 2013 interview with Playboy, in which he identified himself as a “dominant lover” and enjoyed “grabbing women by the neck and hair” in the heat of the moment.
Both shows propelled the streaming network to 26 total noms, besting HBO, which earned 22.
Other strong contenders for the awards show included HBO’s Lovecraft Country and FX’s Mrs. America on the drama side. For comedies, Emmy sweeper Schitt’s Creek on Pop TV and FX’s What We Do in the Shadows earned five nominations each.
Taye Diggs will return to host the Critics’ Choice Awards telecast, which will air at 7 p.m. Eastern on the CW Sunday, March 7.
Here are the nominations for the 26th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards in the major categories. More can be found on the organization’s website.
BEST DRAMA SERIES Better Call Saul (AMC) The Crown The Good Fight (CBS All Access) Lovecraft Country The Mandalorian (Disney+) Ozark Perry Mason (HBO) This Is Us (NBC)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Jason Bateman – Ozark Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country Josh O’Connor – The Crown Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (CBS All Access) Olivia Colman – The Crown Emma Corrin – The Crown Claire Danes – Homeland (Showtime) Laura Linney – Ozark Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Jonathan Banks – Better Call Saul Justin Hartley – This Is Us John Lithgow – Perry Mason Tobias Menzies – The Crown Tom Pelphrey – Ozark Michael K. Williams – Lovecraft Country
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Gillian Anderson – The Crown Cynthia Erivo – The Outsider Julia Garner – Ozark Janet McTeer – Ozark Wunmi Mosaku – Lovecraft Country Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul
BEST COMEDY SERIES Better Things (FX) The Flight Attendant (HBO Max) Mom (CBS) PEN15 (Hulu) Ramy (Hulu) Schitt’s Creek Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) What We Do in the Shadows
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Hank Azaria – Brockmire (IFC) Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu) Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso Ramy Youssef – Ramy
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Pamela Adlon – Better Things (FX) Christina Applegate – Dead to Me (Netflix) Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max) Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES William Fichtner – Mom Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows Daniel Levy – Schitt’s Creek Alex Newell – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC) Mark Proksch – What We Do in the Shadows Andrew Rannells – Black Monday (Showtime)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Lecy Goranson – The Conners (ABC) Rita Moreno – One Day at a Time (Pop) Annie Murphy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop) Ashley Park – Emily in Paris Jaime Pressly – Mom Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso
BEST LIMITED SERIES I May Destroy You (HBO) Mrs. America Normal People (Hulu) The Plot Against America (HBO) The Queen’s Gambit Small Axe (Amazon Studios) The Undoing (HBO) Unorthodox (Netflix)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Bad Education (HBO) Between the World and Me (HBO) The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime) Hamilton (Disney+) Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios) What the Constitution Means to Me (Amazon Studios)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION John Boyega – Small Axe Hugh Grant – The Undoing Paul Mescal – Normal People Chris Rock – Fargo (FX) Mark Ruffalo – I Know This Much is True Morgan Spector – The Plot Against America
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Cate Blanchett – Mrs. America Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You Daisy Edgar-Jones – Normal People Shira Haas – Unorthodox Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit Tessa Thompson – Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Daveed Diggs – The Good Lord Bird (Showtime) Joshua Caleb Johnson – The Good Lord Bird (Showtime) Dylan McDermott – Hollywood (Netflix) Donald Sutherland – The Undoing Glynn Turman – Fargo John Turturro – The Plot Against America
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Uzo Aduba – Mrs. America Betsy Brandt – Soulmates Marielle Heller – The Queen’s Gambit Margo Martindale – Mrs. America Winona Ryder – The Plot Against America Tracey Ullman – Mrs. America
BEST TALK SHOW Desus & Mero (Showtime) Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS) The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC/Syndicated) Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty (Netflix) Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (Netflix) Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill (Netflix) Marc Maron: End Times Fun (Netflix) Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia (Netflix) Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything (Netflix)
RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images(LOS ANGELES) — Lord of the Rings actress Liv Tyler issued a harrowing warning over the weekend about COVID-19.
Tyler, 43, penned a lengthy Instagram message to announce she tested positive for the virus, calling it “a wild two weeks.”
“I’m such a private and shy person and usually don’t share such things but this is a big one,” the SAG Award-nominee explained while sharing a photo of her snuggled up with her two youngest children, Lula Rose, 4, and Sailor Gene, 5.
“I tested positive for covid 19 on New Year’s Eve day,” she continued. “I had made it all the way through 2020 keeping myself and my family safe. Doing everything i could to protect my wolf pack and follow the rules to protect others. Suddenly on The morn of the last day of 2020… boom it took me down.”
“It comes on fast, like a locomotive,” described Tyler, adding that she had “corona light,” meaning she experienced minor symptoms that “floored me for 10 days in my bed.”
Moreover, the actress warned of the potential “emotional and psychological” toll the virus takes, adding, “It F’s with your body and mind equally. Everyday different. Being isolated in a room alone for 10 days is trippy to say the least.”
Tyler says she was quarantined during the siege of the U.S. Capitol, which she says made her feel like she was in the episode of The Twilight Zone.
“The first days of 2021 have been scary for everyone in the world,” she added, noting her children made the first days of the year better by sliding “little messages and drawings under my door.”
Tyler closed out her post by thanking “those who are working tirelessly to protect and care for others” and sending her 2.4 million followers “imaginary universal hugs.”
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Denzel Washington was rendered “speechless” after receiving some unexpected praise.
